Shloka 13
गृहमावसतो हास्य नान्यत् तीर्थ प्रतिग्रहात् । देवर्षिपितृगुर्वर्थ वृद्धातुरबुभुक्षताम्,देवता, ऋषि, पितर, गुरु, वृद्ध, रोगी और भूखे मनुष्योंको भोजन देनेके लिये गृहस्थ ब्राह्मणको प्रतिग्रह स्वीकार करना चाहिये। प्रतिग्रहके सिवा ब्राह्मणके लिये धनसंग्रहका दूसरा कोई पवित्र मार्ग नहीं है
gṛham āvasato hāsya nānyat tīrthaṃ pratigrahāt | devarṣi-pitṛ-gurv-arthaṃ vṛddhāturabubhukṣatām ||
Vyāsa said: For a Brahmin who lives the householder’s life, there is no other sacred means of maintaining wealth than accepting gifts. Such acceptance is to be undertaken for the sake of serving gods, seers, ancestors, and teachers—and for supporting the aged, the sick, and the hungry. Apart from receiving gifts for these duties, there is no other pure path for a Brahmin to accumulate resources.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A householder Brahmin may accept gifts (pratigraha) as a legitimate and ‘pure’ means of support, but the ethical purpose is service: sustaining worship and obligations to gods, sages, ancestors, and teachers, and providing food and care to the elderly, sick, and hungry.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma instruction, Vyāsa states a rule of conduct about livelihood: for a Brahmin living as a householder, accepting donations is presented as the sanctioned route for maintaining resources, specifically oriented toward religious duties and compassionate support of vulnerable people.